Unemployment Rises to 4.3 Percent in San Diego County in June

The unemployment rate in San Diego County was 4.3 percent last month, up from a revised 3.6 percent in May but below the year-ago estimate of 4.9 percent, the state Employment Development Department reported Friday.

In June, the statewide rate was 4.9 percent, 4.5 percent for the nation as a whole.

Between May and June, San Diego added 3,100 jobs in bars and restaurants, while the arts, entertainment, and recreation category grew by 1,500 positions. Ambulatory health care services lost 1,000 jobs, the EDD reported.

Over the past year, the largest increases were seen for specialty construction contractors, 4,100 jobs; local government education, 3,500; and ambulatory health care services, 2,500.

In June, 67,800 San Diegans were without jobs in a civilian labor force of 1.56 million people, according to agency data. That’s 12,000 more than the month before, but the labor force total also grew by a large amount.

The total number of area residents unemployed in June was 9,200 less than the same month in 2016.

“The region’s growing labor force and continued job growth is a positive sign for the region,” said Phil Blair, president and CEO of the staffing firm Manpower. “Despite a slight increase in unemployment, labor market fundamentals remain strong, with total year-over-year employment up 2 percent.”

According to the EDD, the highest unemployment rate in the region was 7.8 percent in Bostonia, the unincorporated area on the northeast side of El Cajon. Other elevated rates were 6.7 percent in Imperial Beach and 6.3 percent within El Cajon’s city limits.